The American Academy of Family Physicians has prompted outcry and lost members over its new six-figure alliance with the Coca-Cola Co. The deal will fund educational materials about soft drinks for the academy's consumer health and wellness Web site. Academy CEO Dr. Douglas Henley said that the deal won't influence the group's public health messages, and that the company will have no control over editorial content. He said the new online information will include research linking soft drinks with obesity and will focus on sugar-free alternatives, the Associated Press reports.
Officials at Atlanta-based Grady Memorial Hospital have backed off from closing two of three neighborhood health centers while embarking on a multimillion-dollar plan to create four new community health "super centers," officials announced. Grady CEO Michael Young told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he wants to counter the reputation that neighborhood centers have as being "small, half-baked" clinics that hand out piecemeal care to the poor. He hopes the new centers will offer patients a wider array of services, draw more paying patients, and keep people from seeking everyday care in Grady's emergency room.
In an attempt to reduce the deaths and serious health problems caused by misuse of medication, the Food and Drug Administration is trying to identify the most serious threats and find ways to avoid them. About 1.5 million preventable "adverse drug events" occur in the United States every year, according to a 2007 study by the Institute of Medicine. The errors cost an estimated $4 billion a year, the study found. The FDA called on doctors, other healthcare professionals, and consumers to help identify drugs and circumstances that may be particular problems. The agency will also hold public hearings to gather information.
When it comes to social media, healthcare leaders are often concered about the potential loss of control, including over brand image. But they should not be, writes John Haydon on his self-titled blog. For example, potential donors still have complete control over whether or not they choose to donate money to your non-profit and what they say to their friends about your organization, he says.
In this blog posting from "Hospital Impact," Nancy Cawley Jean offers answers to common concerns surrounding hospital communications, from getting sued to violations of corporate behavior standards to potential security breaches. The rise of social media makes people even more nervous, she says, but hospitals should "see the obstacles and work your way through them to be part of this new mode of communication."
Kellogg's, the nation's largest cereal maker, is being criticized by those who object to the swine flu-conscious claim now featured in bold lettering on the front of Cocoa Krispies cereal boxes: "Now helps support your child's IMMUNITY." The city of San Francisco has sent a letter to Kellogg and to the Food and Drug Administration asking Kellogg to prove its claim. "I am concerned the prominent use of the immunity claims to advertise a sugar-laden chocolate cereal like Cocoa Krispies may mislead and deceive parents of young children," said Dennis Herrera, the city attorney.